This invention relates to a method of altering an equine leg conformation and to an apparatus for use in the method. More particularly, the invention relates to a method in which the hoof of the equine leg is wedged into a tilted attitude which serves to provide a desired altered leg conformation, and the support for the leg is altered to provide a hoof attitude in normal use equivalent to the tilted attitude.
The equine leg may suffer from various conformational abnormalities, which interfere with performance, render the animal more prone to injury, and/or detract from the appearance of the animal. Various abnormalities may be corrected by suitably trimming the hoof of an affected leg and/or employing a corrective shoe on the hoof. The amount of trimming or the extent of correction provided by a shoe is determined on the basis of visual examination and experience, and often, the wrong side of the hoof is trimmed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,016,571 discloses a farriery implement which apparently may be used for supporting the leg and tilting the hoof in various directions, after which the hoof may be scribed to indicate a hoof portion to be removed for accomplishing a desired alteration of the leg conformation. However, I am not aware of any current or past use of this type of implement.
A need exists for a method and apparatus for altering an equine leg conformation, which are suited to the requirements of veterinarians, farriers, instructors and others concerned with proper care, correction of abnormalities, handling and appearance of horses, mules, and other solipeds. The method and apparatus should serve to reliably determine the amount and the location of alteration of the support for the leg which is required to provide a desired leg conformation in normal use.